Will
by DrKCooper
Summary: The power of Jane's will.
1. Chapter 1

_Disclaimer: All recognizable _Rizzoli & Isles_ characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners including, but not limited to Tess Gerritsen. The original characters and plot are the property of the author of this fan fiction story. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any previously copyrighted material. No financial gain is associated with the publishing of this story. No copyright infringement is intended._

**Will**

There are few things I put faith in. Science, perhaps the most obvious of the things I offer my unyielding faith. Jane Rizzoli's will being the only other.

When Jane Rizzoli has a theory, she will go to the ends of the earth to prove it. If I were a betting woman, I would put money on Jane's will any day of the week. When Jane wants something she will get it. It's something I greatly admire about her. Admire…that may be understating it a bit. In fact, the only problem I have with Jane's will is that she is currently using every bit of her will to deny her attraction to me. I may not always read cues, but Jane's attraction to me is undeniable.

One night we were sitting at the Dirty Robber after a heart wrenching case. It seems the children are always the hardest. It was the first time in months that Jane ordered hard liquor. I was expecting her to order a beer and my wine, but she ordered Johnnie Walker and asked if I wanted something other than wine. There was something about the way Jane looked at me that told me it was her night to fall apart. Something about the kid found in the park had really gotten to Jane, more so than kids usually do. The look on her face told me I better stick to wine. One of us would have to drive home.

Jane's will can lead her through the impossible. That night she told me about playing baseball as a child with a girl that lived two streets over. Something about the little girl we found in the park that day had caused Jane to remember her childhood friend. As we sat at the table, our backs to the wall, our feet outstretched on the booth, I could sense that Jane was fighting the urge to reach over and take my hand. Each time she took a sip of her drink her hand would meander closer to mine. Each time she would get within inches and that famous Rizzoli will would intervene.

We must have sat there talking for two hours. Jane was on her fourth drink when I said we should call it a night. Jane led me out of the Robber with her hand placed at the small of my back. Her touch sent chills up my spine. When we reached her car she handed me the keys and slouched into the passenger seat. I asked where she would like to go and she didn't hesitate to say she wanted to go home with me. I, of course, was happy she didn't want to go home alone. The ride home was silent. Occasionally Jane looked over at me as if to say something and thought better of it. When we reached my house, Jane looked at me with a desire I'd not seen in her eyes before. But that desire was accompanied by pain. the pain of denying herself what she truly wanted.

After changing into pajamas and making tea, Jane and I sat on my sofa looking over our cups at one another and saying little. It seemed like an eternity of quiet when Jane reached for my cup placing it on the coffee table next to hers. Taking my hand, she urged me to stand and led me to my bedroom. My heart was in my throat, my temperature rising by the second. I stood at the side of my bed as Jane pulled the covers back and slipped inside. Her eyes pleaded with me to join her. As I crawled into bed, Jane turned off the lamp and put her arms around me.

"Just let me hold you," Jane whispered.

It was all Jane needed to say. I knew that in the battle of Jane's will, eventually she would allow herself more. She would eventually allow herself to love me, to be attracted to me, and to admit both.

There are few things I place my faith in, Jane is one of them.


	2. Chapter 2

_Author's Note: Thank you all for your kind comments/reviews about the first chapter of this piece as well as "Need." I hadn't intended to continue this piece, but ya'll convinced me. :) _

**Will** (Chapter 2)

It had been over a month since the night Jane led me to my bed and asked to hold me. Nothing about our relationship seemed to change that night, though I had hoped it might lead to more. We went back to our usual banter, our increasingly flirtatious banter. And one night after work as Jane walked me to my car outside the station, I thought I saw Jane's walls begin to crumble. The battle of Jane's will raged on and though she only hugged me and kissed me on the cheek as we said our goodbyes, my body's response to that contact confirmed what I had assessed from the encounter with my mind. There would one day be something more.

…

"Maura, do you have a stocked first aid kit down here?" Jane asked as she barged into my lab.

"My kit is always fully stocked, of course," I responded. Just as I responded I looked up and realized why she was asking. Jane had a gash near her right temple that was losing quite a bit of blood.

"Oh, Jane, what happened?" I asked as I walked her back against one of my exam tables and reached for the gash with a Kleenex, wanting to get a good look at it before going for the first aid supplies.

"Frost and I were chasing a perp through the alley, he actually took off from booking, and one of the building's fire escape ladders caught the side of my head," she answered. "Jesus!" Jane hissed as I touched the Kleenex to her temple.

"Here, I'm going to get the kit and spray it with a topical analgesic before I try to clean it up."

"A topical what?"

"It will numb it so I can get a better look at it," I explained. As I turned to go for the kit, I could almost feel Jane's eyes on me. And when I returned I could see her mind working over a thought. Whatever it was, her will won out and she left it to concentrate on getting her head cleaned up.

"Is it going to hurt?" Jane asked as she placed her hand atop mine.

"It might sting briefly, might even be a bit cold, but no, it won't hurt," I managed to get out as Jane's hand still held mine.

Once I was able to spray Jane's wound, the numbness allowed for me to clean it rather easily. It became obvious to me that she would need a few sutures. It was also obvious to me that Jane's eyes were on me the entire time.

"You're going to need two, perhaps three, sutures," I said.

"Okay."

"No, Jane, I didn't mean I could…" I started, but stopped as Jane reached for my free hand and gripped it. Continuing a sentence was out of my realm of possibilities in that moment, let alone breathing.

"Please?" Jane pleaded.

"I'm a pathologist. I don't usually have, well, _live_ patients."

"You stitch people up all the time, Maur. I have no problem with you doing this," Jane said. Of course, I knew that Jane hated hospitals. After her many encounters with Hoyt and last year's shooting, she had become rather tired of them.

"I'll do it, but it may scar," I said.

With that, Jane responded by lifting both her hands, palms up, to show me. I hated the way Jane looked at herself as scarred. Her scars made her who she was and I loved that person.

"Okay, let me get some things."

As I walked to the lab's supply cabinet, I couldn't help but wonder if Jane was watching me. I also wondered what she was mulling over in her brain. She either wanted to say or do something and each time she used that strong will of hers to prevent her from doing so. When I turned around, I wasn't surprised to find Jane's eyes on me, but she was surprised that I caught her. She turned away, her face turning a subtle shade of crimson. Her response was like the many I'd had in recent months. The attraction was there, but only one of us was allowing ourselves to admit it.

"Jane," I whispered as I placed my hand gently on her cheek, just below the gash I was about to suture.

"I can't, Maur…" Jane trailed off without looking me in the eye.

"Please look at me, Jane," I begged. When she did, I could see in her eyes precisely what I was feeling in my body. Unfortunately, I knew better than most that until Jane's will made way for what she wanted, nothing would come of this.

"When you're ready, I'll be here," I said and meant it with everything in me.


	3. Chapter 3

**Will** (Chapter 3)

When I began falling for Jane, I never imagined there could ever be anything more than friendship between us. I knew that if Jane ever began to look at me the way I did her, an epic battle of Jane's will would ensue; an epic battle that would result in her denying herself the happiness of being with someone like me. What I didn't imagine was that my own will would enter the equation as well. What I wanted from Jane allowed me the saint-like patience to wait for it.

…

"Isles," I answered.

"Maur, you got a second?" Jane's voice was something I longed to hear throughout the day. If we weren't working a case and didn't see each other, I'd find myself wishing she would call.

"Of course, where are you?" I asked, hoping close by.

"At my desk. I didn't want to disturb you if you were working on something," Jane responded.

Something that never ceased to amaze me about Jane was how considerate she was. I first noticed it with Frost. When he couldn't handle a crime scene, Jane would find something else for him to do and announce as much so that he didn't have to ask.

"You wouldn't be disturbing me, Jane, but if you must know, I'm not working on anything at the moment."

"Were you looking at shoes again?" Jane inquired with the hint of flirting that was ever present in our conversations.

"Get down here," I huffed.

Click.

Jane was on her way. It wouldn't take Jane long to ride the elevator to the lab, just long enough for me to consider what was really behind my 'get down here' statement. It wasn't simply a way of getting Jane to stop teasing me about my interest in shoes. I wanted to see Jane. I wanted more than that, but when I told Jane I would be here when she was ready, I meant precisely that. I will be here if and when Jane gives in to her stalwart will. I was hoping for when rather than if.

"Hey," Jane said while leaning against my office doorway.

"Hi, Jane," I said as I admired her tall, dark frame. I blushed a bit when I noticed she was watching me look her up and down. "Did you have a question about a case?"

"Oh…umm…no," Jane stammered.

Jane was many things, confident among them, yet around me she didn't have to be. It had taken some time for Jane to realize she could show that she was vulnerable, scared, and at times as insecure as the rest of us. I couldn't tell if in this moment she was being insecure, wanting to speak to me personally, not professionally, or both.

"Jane?" I questioned.

"May I come in?"

When I nodded, Jane walked in and closed the door behind her. That simple act caused my heart to begin a rapid ascent. We rarely required the privacy of a closed door while at work. In the bullpen where Jane's desk sat, we would speak in hushed tones if we didn't want the other detectives to hear us. In my office, no one could hear us to begin with.

"What you said, about me being ready," Jane began as she walked closer to my desk.

"Yes?" I couldn't believe we were having this discussion so soon. When I told her I'd be here when she was ready, I expected it to take a great deal of time. It had been mere days.

"I…I'm not," Jane said. Jane sat at the edge of my desk, just inches from where I was in my chair.

"Oh," I uttered. Jane's admission slowed my heart rate considerably.

"Can I ask…" Jane started as she placed her hand gently on my right shoulder, our eyes never losing contact. "…Does this mean that you are?"

"I am ready for whatever you are willing to give even if that is simply the friendship we have," I answered.

"You would be okay with that?" Jane asked.

Jane's eyes were pleading with mine for further explanation. I could sense her hesitance and thought I may have heard a tinge of disappointment in her voice. I reached my hand up to place it over her hand that was still resting on my shoulder.

"If I'm honest with you, I may scare you away," I said gently.

"I'm not going anywhere, Maur."

"I _am_ ready for whatever you are willing to give. If that _is_ the friendship we already have and that is all you can give, I would have to be okay with that because I want you in my life," I said, never taking my eyes off Jane's.

"But?"

"I want more," I whispered, dropping my eyes to my lap.

"Please look at me," Jane pleaded. I couldn't resist, I needed to know if this could be something or if Jane's will would continue to deny her the ability to be happy.

"I do, too. I'm just not ready."


	4. Chapter 4

_Not sure if this is the end of the road for this piece or not. Wanting to move on to something else. In any event, thank you all for your kind reviews. -DKC_

**Will** (Chapter 4)

Had I just heard Jane correctly? She wants more, too? I knew enough about Jane Rizzoli to know that her admission alone took great courage. This was a breakthrough I never expected.

"I'm sorry," Jane caught me lost in my thoughts and took that silence as some kind of disappointment on my part. I hoped my squeezing her hand would help chase away that fear.

"Jane, you have nothing to be sorry about. We'll get there," I said.

"Yeah?" Jane's eyes were hopeful.

"Rome wasn't built in a day."

…

That day in my office was one of the most remarkable moments I've had with Jane since we met. It was the first time I felt as if my attraction to her wasn't unrequited. It was the first time I, like Jane, was hopeful that there was something more in our future. It was nice to no longer carry the weight of knowing I was attracted to my best friend, wanted something more, and neither were unacceptable. It was the first time I thought Jane's will was breaking down or turning from denial to longing.

In the weeks that passed since the moment in my office, I could see our casual banter become something more. Flirting and teasing was common. Our glances and touches prolonged. One night on my couch after Angela had left for the guesthouse, I was stunned when Jane hooked her pinky with mine. It wasn't much, but in that moment, it was everything. But it was the night she arrived at my door that changed our relationship forever.

…

"Jane?" I said as she knocked briefly and let herself into my house. She took a few steps in and stopped, leaving ten or so feet between us. She had a serious look on her face.

"What if I'm ready?" she said, leaving me floored.

"You can take all the time you need; I don't want you to feel like you have to be if you're not," I told her, knowing that Jane would take my waiting as a sign that she needed to hurry up and make a decision.

"No," Jane said firmly as she came a few steps closer to me.

"No?" I was confused.

"That's not what I'm asking," she said, stepping even closer so that we were a mere foot apart. "What happens when I'm ready?"

"Oh," I whispered.

As I started to comprehend what Jane was asking, that she wondered where we went from here, I realized that she was closing the small distance between us. Before I had time to consider how to answer Jane's question, she pressed her lips to mine. It was the last thing I expected when she walked through my front door seconds earlier. It was the last thing I expected with how hesitant Jane had been since we began this battle of wills.

The kiss was soft and gentle, yet passionate. With anyone else, I would have known exactly what to do, but with Jane I wasn't sure how far I could go without scaring Jane away. Something I had learned about Jane is that like her iron will, her guilt was equally fierce. I didn't want her to feel any guilt about what we were doing. So, I reached up, took Jane's face with my hands and broke our beautiful kiss.

"Would it be extremely inappropriate for me to say 'wow' right now?" I blurted out as a smile broke out on my face. I didn't take my hands from Jane's face and we remained an inch apart.

"No, but I may have to kiss you again," Jane said as she tilted my chin and brushed her lips against mine once again.


	5. Chapter 5

_Author's Note: I felt this piece needed a better way to end, so I wrapped it up like this. I hope you all enjoy. I'll be moving on to something new now. I appreciate all of your comments. If you wouldn't mind, I'd love to know what other pairings you guys like to read—I won't pair Jane & Maura with anyone else, but I will entertain requests for other show pairings. Mention them in your reviews or you can direct message me if you'd like. Thanks! -DKC_

**Will** (Chapter 5)

The second kiss Jane and I shared was much less hesitant. Apparently my concern for Jane's eventual guilt was unfounded. Regardless, I let Jane lead the way. Whatever she was comfortable with, I was. I'd been wishing for this for a very long time, never believing it would happen. It had been consuming me, taking every bit of my own will to not force the issue.

"Mmm…" Jane moaned as we both surfaced for air.

"You amaze me, Jane Rizzoli," I said as untangled my fingers from her hair and simply held her face in my hands.

"Is that a good thing?" she asked as she let out a soft chuckle.

"Of course it is."

"Did you ever think…" Jane began.

"Absolutely not," I cut her off. We both smiled at this, though we were equally relieved that we'd crossed this bridge together.

Jane gently kissed my forehead, leaving her chin resting against where her lips had just been.

For the first time in months, I didn't feel as if the silence was due to an internal battle within Jane. For the first time in months, I wasn't desperately looking for any sign that she wanted what I did. I knew. The touch of her lips was all it took for me to know.

"Jane?" I whispered, breaking the silence between us.

"Hmm?"

"Let's go to bed," I said, but I quickly regretted the simplicity of my statement as I felt Jane stiffen. I slowly reached down and took both her hands in mine.

"Just hold me," I whispered into her ear where my lips had come to rest.

With those simple three words we'd come full circle to the night Jane asked to hold me. The night that began the battle of wills, Jane's and mine separately and now together.

I knew I had faith in Jane's will, what I didn't know is how much faith Jane had in me.


End file.
